The invention relates to a device for actuating electronic equipment in a motor vehicle, having a sensor element for generating electronic signals as a function of positions of persons and/or objects in a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, and having an evaluation unit for evaluating the electronic signals.
Such a device is known from DE-A-42 04 996 for actuating a piece of electronic equipment which is, for example, in the form of a cassette recorder. The sensor element has two infrared sensors for registering the position of a movable control device for the piece of electronic equipment. The intention is that the signals of the device will be used to disable functions of the control device if the control device is located in the region of the driver of the motor vehicle.
Such devices are in practice frequently also connected to an antitheft alarm system in order, for example, to activate a horn if someone reaches into the motor through an open window. However, with most sensor elements which are designed as infrared sensors there is the risk, in particular at high external temperatures, of false alarms of the antitheft alarm system.
Furthermore, from practice, such devices are known for actuating an airbag. Here, pressure-sensitive sensor elements are mounted in vehicle seats so that the triggering of the airbag may be avoided if the corresponding vehicle seat is unoccupied. However, these pressure-sensitive sensor elements are not capable of distinguishing whether there is a person or, for example, a child's seat or some other object on the vehicle seat.